'Peeps' make themselves heard in Easter candy contest

Apr 9, 2007, 0:45 GMT

Washington - A contest for readers to use a popular American Easter candy as a prop produced a response that astonished the Washington Post's features staff, the newspaper reported Sunday.

Colourful, marshmallow-like Peeps are a candy that traditionally comes in the shape of chicks or bunnies for Easter.

Playing off a well-known, cult-like adult following for the children's confection, the Post's Sunday Source section organized a Peeps Diorama Contest, expecting a dozen entries, according to a story announcing the results on the front of the Easter Sunday section. Instead, editors received more than 350 entries from around the world.

The newspaper described pun-laden themes, some tapping into the wartime zeitgeist. Give Peeps a Chance contrasted with an entry from a member of the US military stationed in Kandahar, Afghanistan, whose diorama re-enacted the December hanging of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein with a purple, marshmallow rabbit at the gallows.

More than one portrayed troubled pop star Britney Spears and her battles with the Peeparazzi. Others took historical themes, such as George Washingpeep Crossing the Delaware.

The winner took a classic page from American pop culture and made it into peep culture.

It shows a bright-yellow Peep in a slinky, pink pink dress descending red-carpeted stairs through a gauntlet of 10 tuxedoed Peep attendants. The diorama, Peeps Are a Girl's Best Friend, was inspired by the iconic, 1953 movie scene starring Marilyn Monroe.

Charles Johnston, 48, a graphic artist and designer from Manassas, Virginia, in Washington's western suburbs, produced the winning entry.

'I typed up about 15 different scenarios and began to gravitate toward Marilyn Monroe,' he told the Post. 'I thought of that scene in 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.' I thought yellow Peeps would look good in that color scheme.'

Post Executive Editor Len Downie called it 'extraordinary.'

Johnston even bedecked his candy Marilyn with 16 dollars worth of Swarovski crystal, in lieu of the priceless diamonds worn in the movie.

Ironically, the Peep craftsman was not even a fan of the candy before starting work on his contest entry. In the process, though, Johnston found his medium to be 'delicious.'

'It's something I see and never think to buy or eat,' he said.

Contest photos: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/print/sundaysource/index.html. Peeps manufacturer: http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/.